32 min
Day 16 of Journey Through Daniel | A CONFESSION OF CORPORATE SIN Willow Journey
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- Christianity
COMMENTARY
Daniel 9 contains another vision, but unlike the previous visions, it begins with a reflection on Scripture and a prayer. The historical and biblical background for this occasion is significant. Verses 1-2 tell us that “in the first year of Darius,” Daniel meditated on a message “given to Jeremiah the prophet,” which concerned “seventy years” of desolation for Jerusalem. In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet talked about how the people of Judah would be exiled in Babylon as a result of their sins but would return to their land after seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10). Now in 539 BC, nearly seventy years after Daniel’s deportation to Babylon, Daniel is meditating on these passages and wondering if the return to Jerusalem is imminent.
After reflecting on this passage, Daniel turns to God in prayer regarding the things on his mind. The prayer he prays follows a model outlined in 1 Kings 8:46-51. He starts by pleading with God to show love to God’s people. Then, Daniel makes a confession of corporate sin: “We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws” (Daniel 9:5).
What’s noteworthy about this prayer is that Daniel admits his own part in the sin of his people even though he has repeatedly been vindicated as innocent by God. In the book of Daniel, there are no accounts of any wrongdoing by Daniel. He has proven to be without corruption as an individual, but he recognizes that he was a participant in a community that was guilty of wrongdoing and sin.
Daniel’s humble posture in prayer should challenge us as Christians in America today. In our individualistic society, we tend to think of sin as the crime of individuals, not communities. When we see evil pervading the walls of governments, workplaces, schools, or churches, we blame others, never ourselves. The truth is, sin can be committed by individuals and by communities, and we can be held at fault for both. It is the action or inaction of individuals that allows corporate sin to continue and systemic wrongs to go on. Thankfully, we have a merciful God who forgives those who confess their complicity and work to bring change.
SCRIPTURE
DANIEL 9:1–19
DANIEL’S PRAYER
1 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom—2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:
“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.
7 “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. 12 You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our
COMMENTARY
Daniel 9 contains another vision, but unlike the previous visions, it begins with a reflection on Scripture and a prayer. The historical and biblical background for this occasion is significant. Verses 1-2 tell us that “in the first year of Darius,” Daniel meditated on a message “given to Jeremiah the prophet,” which concerned “seventy years” of desolation for Jerusalem. In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet talked about how the people of Judah would be exiled in Babylon as a result of their sins but would return to their land after seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10). Now in 539 BC, nearly seventy years after Daniel’s deportation to Babylon, Daniel is meditating on these passages and wondering if the return to Jerusalem is imminent.
After reflecting on this passage, Daniel turns to God in prayer regarding the things on his mind. The prayer he prays follows a model outlined in 1 Kings 8:46-51. He starts by pleading with God to show love to God’s people. Then, Daniel makes a confession of corporate sin: “We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws” (Daniel 9:5).
What’s noteworthy about this prayer is that Daniel admits his own part in the sin of his people even though he has repeatedly been vindicated as innocent by God. In the book of Daniel, there are no accounts of any wrongdoing by Daniel. He has proven to be without corruption as an individual, but he recognizes that he was a participant in a community that was guilty of wrongdoing and sin.
Daniel’s humble posture in prayer should challenge us as Christians in America today. In our individualistic society, we tend to think of sin as the crime of individuals, not communities. When we see evil pervading the walls of governments, workplaces, schools, or churches, we blame others, never ourselves. The truth is, sin can be committed by individuals and by communities, and we can be held at fault for both. It is the action or inaction of individuals that allows corporate sin to continue and systemic wrongs to go on. Thankfully, we have a merciful God who forgives those who confess their complicity and work to bring change.
SCRIPTURE
DANIEL 9:1–19
DANIEL’S PRAYER
1 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom—2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:
“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.
7 “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. 12 You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our
32 min